Peaches and Crystals and Mirrors
by Miyazaki A2
Summary: A series of drabbles, ficlets, oneshots, or whatever you'd like to call them, about Sarah and Jareth. Watch out for fluff and angst; they're both liable to show up at some point. Continuity is subjective.
1. Peaches

Why couldn't he have tempted her with an apple? Or a pomegranate? She would have been more distrustful of an apple or a pomegranate. She knew what happened to girls in fairytales and myths who fell victim to apples and pomegranates. She would have been more prepared for that damned ballroom, had she been offered an apple or a pomegranate.

But no. He'd used a peach against her. A _peach_. That had to be the most innocuous fruit out there. The only story with a peach that she could remember was the one in which a little boy's dreams came true due to an oversized specimen of the fruit.

It didn't seem fair, then, that peaches now haunted her dreams. She couldn't even look at a peach, couldn't even drink tea with peach flavoring, without shivering. She started to avoid the fruit altogether after a while.

It was a shame, really. She'd really loved peaches when she was younger.

But then, the Goblin King probably knew that.

* * *

**_(A/N)_**

**_Wanted something short and to-the-point for my first chapter. I probably won't update this as regularly as my Good Omens fic, but I _will _try to as much as I can. _**

**_Much love,  
Miyazaki A2_**


	2. Reasons

Jareth had certain opinions about the kinds of people that wished children away. The short version was that they disgusted him. Usually, the types of people who wished away babies were dead-beats who didn't deserve children anyway—abusive and negligent parents, most usually. They were the types of people that made life as a goblin seem like an improvement to their little victims.

The labyrinth was a sort of punishment, you see. People would wish their children away, run around and be tortured in the labyrinth for a few hours until they gave up, and got nothing in return but the sight of their child becoming a hideous goblin after they'd failed. Then he'd send them home. No one, and that means _no one_, would have any memory of the lost child. The offending parent would simply have an empty feeling in their heart for the rest of their miserable lives. If things went well, they would spend thousands of dollars on therapy before they died.

That was how things were _supposed _to work. No one was supposed to win the game because no one was supposed to _deserve _to.

But then there was Sarah. She wasn't abusive or negligent; she was just a little selfish and hurt, like any teenager in her situation. She really _hadn't _meant to wish her brother away. She had a good heart.

That was partially why Jareth had been so determined to make sure she lost the game. He was disappointed in her. She was a sweet girl who still believed in fairytales and the power of friendship and true love. She was supposed to be better than that.

The other half of the reason he'd fought so hard was not nearly so noble. He'd had a plan, you see, to force her to make a trade. Her freedom for her brother's. He wouldn't turn her into a goblin, though. He would have made her a queen. Because the Goblin King _had _been in love with the girl, even if his love had a cruel way of expressing itself. He would have spared her brother, sent him home, if only Sarah would have said yes, had agreed to surrender. It would have been that simple. They could have even been happy together.

But no. Sarah wouldn't lose. She had a job to do. She had no idea of Jareth's intentions—all she knew was that she had to save Toby.

Jareth couldn't begrudge her that. She had a good heart, even if it couldn't belong to him.


	3. Alternatives

**Remembering **

Sarah never forgot that night she spent in the Labyrinth. She never forgot her friends. Even as she grew up into a beautiful, strong young adult, still called on Hoggle and Ludo and Sir Didymus for companionship. A person had to learn how to hold onto their inner child while still being mature; otherwise, you were no better than your parents.

Besides, there was no way she could have ever forgotten even if she'd wanted to; the goblins, you see, had a tendency to crawl between dimensions when they got bored, and they liked her house. It was small and cozy, it had a lot of mirrors, and it was easy to make a mess. Often Sarah would call on Hoggle just to complain about the little brats.

And there was always an owl in the tree beside her driveway. When she passed it, she would give it a knowing, almost-forgiving smile, and keep walking.

And when the owl was replaced by a wild-looking and wickedly handsome King, Sarah was prepared. She smiled bravely and asked him what took him so long to deign to visit, and he gave her a dangerous grin and said he'd never been invited and simply got tired of waiting.

And, though there was still some bitterness to be sorted out between the two of them, both of them were glad that Sarah never forgot Jareth.

* * *

**Forgetting**

After a few years, Sarah began to forget the night she spent in the Labyrinth. She didn't want to forget her friends, but as she grew up it became harder and harder to believe that dwarves and beasts and foxes would come out of her mirror and talk to her. It was just a silly dream, she eventually convinced herself. Who ever heard of goblins coming and stealing babies? Please. A person had to let go of childish things as they got older; otherwise you were no better than your little brothers.

Besides, it wasn't as if there was anything near her that could keep her reminded of the Labyrinth. Her old toys were in a box somewhere in her parents' attic, and nothing came out of her mirror unless called. So when she got too busy and too old to believe that magical things would come when she called, she stopped calling and her friends stopped coming. And she forgot that any of it had ever been true.

There was an owl that lived in the tree next to the driveway of her small, cozy home. Even during the day, it would stare at her with its penetrating eyes. Every time she passed it, she felt a tugging at her heart that made her think there was something _important _about the bird. But she always squashed the feeling down and kept walking.

But then one day the owl was replaced by a wild-looking, wickedly handsome man dressed in the type of leather clothes and armor that could only be described as regal. When she made eye-contact with him, his mismatched eyes sparkled enticingly and he flashed a sharp grin, and then he said her name, making it sound like a caress. He asked why his people had become unwelcome in Sarah's home, and Sarah said that she couldn't remember.

Because there he was, the Goblin King in the flesh. Not a dream, not a fairytale. He was there, and with the flood of memories came some old, remembered bitterness. But that could wait awhile. For the moment, they were too busy trying to figure out how Sarah had ever forgotten Jareth.

* * *

**_(A/N)_**

**_There are two main types of LabyFics, both of which I love. Ones where Sarah holds onto her LabyFriends and just has to rediscover Jareth, and ones where Sarah forgets her LabyFriends and still has to rediscover Jareth. End results are usually the same. By this I mean smex. XD_**

**_Much love,  
Miyazaki A2_**


End file.
